Inspiration Strikes
by Overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: Sometimes the answer just hits you...
1. Chapter 1

With a weary sigh, Adrien propped his head against his fist as he fought to stay awake in the lesson. The fact that Hawkmoth kept attacking at the oddest hours hadn't been doing his sleep schedule any favors.

At least Miss Bustier's pleasant demeanor made classes much easier. She beamed, clapping her hands together to attract everyone's attention. "Good Morning, class. We're going to break off into pairs to go through critical thinking questions on last night's reading assignment!"

A collective groan went up through the classroom, but the dutiful scrape of chairs hailed the ready acceptance of the task at hand.

Adrien muffled a yawn, and peered over at Nino, only to find his best friend had quickly turned around to work with Alya.

With a half shrug, he stood up and turned his own chair around. "Shall we work together, Marinette?"

Her own eyes widened, as she glanced up from her purse. Blinking and then peering over to Alya to see that she and Nino had joined up.

She shook her head for one uncertain moment, before she shut her eyes and smiled.

He almost wasn't sure that she'd actually murmured, "Sure," until the smile reached her eyes as she beamed back up at him.

Marinette was such an inherently a warm person, one whose company he had actively sought out, even though there were times where he'd heard some of the oddest phrases trickle past her lips. But with as chilly as it often was at home, he needed that sort of warmth in his life.

Though he'd often gotten that kind of warmth and reassurance from Nino, his best friend had been spending a fair amount of time, slipping away to steal more time with his own girlfriend. It was understandable, but no less disappointing.

Besides, he'd spotted that same sort of envy he'd felt on Marinette's face when she'd watched Alya sneaking off as well.

More to the point, Marinette herself was so kind and generous with her time, even with Chloe when his old friend hadn't exactly been kind. She was the only civilian that he could recall who was quick to even spare a kind thought of concern to him even when he'd been actively rescuing her from an Akuma.

Matching her smile, he sat back down and took one of the sheets that Miss Bustier passed out. It was lucky for him that this was one of his tutor's favorite books.

He watched as Marinette's eyes dipped down to the page, nibbling at the inside of her lip as she turned her focus to the questions at hand.

In fact, she was so focused, she hadn't even noticed her pencil rolling off the front of her desk.

He'd leaned down to pick it up, not even noticing her hurried scramble to stand up and snag it herself.

She might have struck him as funny. She had even left him entirely dumbstruck at the class picnic they'd had on Heroes' Day.

But as her purse dropped down over the desk just as he'd had the typically bad luck to be ducked back up with her pencil, this was the first time she'd ever struck him - quite literally.

* * *

Author's Notes: 

Based upon my own Tumblr post and my brain just wouldn't let go.. Probably 3-4 drabble chapters.

Currently not beta read.


	2. Chapter 2

With a sharp gasp, Marinette drew back for only a second, and checked her purse for the most fleeting instant. Adrien watched as relief crossed her face, and she gave a noisy exhale.

Of course it was an accident. It had to be.

Adrien combed his fingers through his hair, setting it back into place as neatly as possible.

Marinette's clumsiness wasn't exactly new. She had tripped down the stairs and sent croissants flying in this very classroom. And he'd spotted her ability to "windmill" herself safely away from a tumble down the stairs on more than one occasion. Though she usually darted off to safety well enough whenever the Akuma came to call...

When he looked up again, he caught concern narrowing the edges of her very blue eyes.

Without warning, she darted forward with significantly more grace than he'd expected. Her hand hovered just above his halo of hair.

"Are you okay?"

"Not even a scratch." He gently tapped his fist against his head with a small, secretive smile, careful to tamp down the pun that was hanging on the edge of his lips. "I promise. I've taken far harder hits that that."

He'd barely noticed Alya smirk as Nino muffled a chuckle beside them. Not that he needed their doubts of his own capability. Not when he knew better. "You okay?"

Wide-eyed, Marinette nodded, a pretty blush coloring her cheeks as she settled back down in her chair. "I just wish I saw that you were already bending down to grab it first. Great minds think alike, I guess?"

Adrien beamed.

* * *

It was odd. The more he had allowed his mind to mews the whole situation, the more he wondered about his occasionally clumsy friend.

Marinette was amazing. She could be so graceful and adept in certain respects… especially when it came to creating some of the most amazing clothes and foods… and transform to suddenly klutzy without warning.

Chat Noir hadn't even realized he'd veered off his usual patrol route until he spotted the light up on her balcony.

Marinette sat up on her patio lounger, head tilted as her fingers deftly chased a needle through the cloth. He was surprised she could see quite so well with the fading daylight outdoors, and just a slim string of fairy lights that glowed around her.

There was such a serious look of calm on her face. It reminded him of being a young boy and watching his father work, before being chased out of the room and into the waiting desk for his tutors... back before his father's Brand had come to such dramatic prominence, and he himself had been drafted into modelling.

Chat touched down lightly on the rooftop above and behind her to take a quick glimpse at what she was working on.

He didn't exactly want to intrude. But it was only natural that being transformed would make him a curious cat…

Ever so quietly, his gaze extended over the edge of the roof to peek at the project she was finishing up.

With practiced ease, she trimmed off the edge of the thread, winding it back around the spool. Sparing not even a second glance, she chucked the spool of thread back in a high arc towards her sewing basket as she snagged a second spool to thread the needle anew.

For all the rooftops in all of Paris that he could have landed on - in the year plus he had been patrolling - it was only when he'd touched down on hers that he managed to get beaned in the head with a wayward spool.

The spool bounced back down towards the basket, missing the original target by mere inches.

Chat Noir scowled, rubbing the slight sore as he vaulted away, ducking to stay out of sight as she stood to return the rogue spool into the tiny basket.

Maybe it all wasn't an accident.

Maybe it is just his own rotten luck.


	3. Chapter 3

His Lady was tired and klutzier than usual.

Of course, considering they were on their third Akuma in one day and it was already well past dusk? In all honesty, a little clumsiness could easily be forgiven.

The teachers may have cancelled their afternoon classes, but with the frequency of Akuma attacks, make-up assignments were now sent to students through email. He wasn't sure how his Lady was holding up - or where she might actually attend, assuming they were close enough in age - but he felt like he was drowning in work himself.

Even if they hurried, he'd still have at least another hour of homework tonight.

Chat Noir sighed, stretching his arms across the extended baton as he gravitated to Ladybug's side at the top of the Trocadero. Her eyes darted all around, surveying for the best way to take the slippery Akuma out.

"Any ideas on Secret of the Ooze down there?"

She arched a high brow beneath the mask, before gleaming blue gaze met his. "A few. Just trying to puzzle out the likely winners first."

He frowned down at her yo-yo; it hadn't been any helping in holding him still. It had a mucous-like coating from when she'd tried - and failed - to restrain him... the Akuma had simply oozed through the strings.

Ladybug's voice broke him out of his silent mewsings. "Think you can pen our slimy friend in with a Cataclysm?"

His fingers itched, arching into position purely from her suggestion. It had to have been Ladybug's luck alone that had restrained him from calling on his power.

She sighed, dragging her yo-yo up into position as their eye both locked with the trail that was glistening in the evening light across the gardens. "Guess we'll have to catch up to the slippery guy first."

He beamed, scrambling off the ledge behind her for the chase. But clearly they'd both forgotten about the slimy, collateral damage to her yo-yo, which didn't quite have the same ideal physics for swinging across the skies. She plummeted downwards as the yo-yo's elasticity was now slime-rigid, failing to rebound and latch with the ledge she'd selected.

It was lucky for them both that his eyes were forever straying towards her. Chat moved in her direction without hesitation, scooping her out of the air and into his arms.

Of course, his luck never really held for long...

… as evident by the rogue yo-yo that came crashing down on the back on his head. Preoccupied with their safety, there was little more that he could do than yelp at the fleeting pain as he landed.

Ladybug was all too contrite, worry darkening her wide eyes as she peered back at him rather than out after their wayward Akuma.

Even after he'd set Ladybug down on solid rooftop, her hands had hovered close, fussing with his head and ears after the unintentional assault.

Chat Noir fought the compulsion to blush, relishing her every attention as slim gloved fingers grazed over his sensitive ears.

Unlike their melee against this oily Akuma, that was a battle he was very much doomed to lose.

* * *

It was only later, in the quiet of his bedroom as he was ever-so-slowly wrapping up the last of the physics problems, that he was dazedly charmed by the recollection. "Hey Plagg?"

"Hmm?" Glowing eyes peered up over the edge of the desk trash can.

Adrien paused, tapping the tip of his pencil rhythmically against the desk. "Do you ever get that weird sense of déjà vu?"

"On occasion." Plagg's ears perked, betraying his more active interest as he pressed his paws up over the metal lip of the can. Tiny fangs peeked out of his leering grin. "And just why do you ask?"

Adrien shook his head, unsure if the late hour, the pile of homework - or his too smitten state - was causing his thoughts to jumble into one unproductive mess. "It's just a feeling… but I can't really make heads or tails of it…"

A weary groan echoed against the metal walls as Plagg plopped back into the can, tipping it to clatter noisily across the wooden floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the past four days, there had been just as many uninspired Akuma. Clearly Hawkmoth had to be getting tired too - his ideas certainly were. Adrien sighed... even his standard rotation of puns were feeling a little too familiar for comfort.

Though he should have been relishing the relative calm of not being attacked multiple times in a day, it really didn't sit right with him. Adrien slumped into his seat as class was almost ready to begin, belatedly aware that there was a dull roar of grumbling behind him. He turned to ask Nino if something had happened, when he noticed a firm frown his face.

He shot Nino a puzzled look.

Nino just shrugged. "It's just this school trip… I mean, it seems cool and all, but it isn't exactly inexpensive for most of us…"

Adrien shuffled guiltily in his seat.

They had left classes the day before with the whispers of a class trip rushing through the rumor mill (or at least via Alya's text messages) before the school had issued the formal notification through e-mail to their parents. He'd only heard from Nathalie before he'd gotten into the sedan this morning.

Of course, his father could easily cover the cost - provided he'd actually allow him to travel with the class. But it was clear that outside of himself - and probably Chloe - not everyone might be so lucky.

Just then, Marinette scrambled in seconds before the bell rang very nearly tripping over her own feet as she sped up to her seat.

Her book bag hadn't been nearly so lucky, spilling a slim pink sketchbook open upon the floor. Without hesitation, he'd stooped down to pick it up. He spotted a paw print sketch in her book before he snapped it closed, then turned in his chair to hand it over. "Here you go."

Marinette flushed prettily as he placed it into her hands

As they settled into the usual routine of class beginning, Adrien peered back over his shoulder. He might not be wearing the ears at the moment, but his curiosity was no less acute.

There was a gleam in Marinette's blue eyes as her pencil scribbled furiously across the page of that pink sketchbook. Clearly, she had that spark of an idea… one that wouldn't let her attention go.

And considering his own symbol was in the mix, his attention kept straying back to her.

* * *

By the time Adrien was scrambling up the steps after lunch, things were no less quiet. He'd half expected that Hawkmoth would send out another lunchtime Akuma, but today, it seemed like they'd gotten a momentary reprieve.

Throughout the long, quiet lunch, he'd kept poking at Plagg, trying to puzzle out some good way to help his friends go on the trip - without stepping into some faux pas. But his Kwami was just grumpy with him, grumbling and rolling his eyes, much as he had done over the last few days.

Back in class, his knee bounced anxiously beneath the desk. So much quiet only left him feeling anxious - like something big had to be brewing - and that he'd have to be ready to rush in and set it all to rights.

The unease Adrien was exhibiting resulted in a muffled groan from his Kwami. He mentally shrugged it off… it was just as well that Plagg was resting up.

Adrien fully expected that his focus would only return with the usual scream from a nearby classroom - or a sudden Akuma notification from his cell phone.

Instead, it came in with a pair of pigtails.

Beaming, Marinette strode into the classroom with Alya in tow. She held a large pink box with her parent's logo embossed into the surface.

"No way, girl," Alya assured as they both turned into the classroom. "Even Chloe would want one of those for sure."

Marinette smiled back at her best friend's vote of confidence… until the moment she just barely missed the step right beside his desk.

Frowning, Adrien reached out, barely catching her fall from waist height with one arm.

Unfortunately, though, he wasn't quick enough, as the contents of the box flew in all directions.

Several had been tossed up into the air with her sudden, swift momentum, arcing down onto his head like a tiny hailstorm as he gazed down at her in concern.

"Oh, no!" she gasped aloud.

It wasn't until Marinette scurried out of his hold that he'd noticed what had fallen onto his head and into his lap.

It was a Ladybug yo-yo.

More accurately, it was a red macaron with a artfully placed pattern of spots that bore uncanny resemblance to Ladybug's yo-yo.

Adrien blinked, dazed as he weighed the tiny thing in his palm, entirely missing the black blur phasing back into his bag beneath his chair.

His eyes darted up to hers, gaping as Marinette pulled back onto her knees beside him and frowned over the crumbly remnants of a shattered dark chocolate macaron.

He could barely make out the bits of electric green in the fragments she had cradled in her hand.

"You alright there, Marinette?" Alya whispered, tugging the girl back up to her feet.

"I am," Marinette sighed, holding up. "But this one didn't seem to make the trip."

"Don't be mad." Alya smirked ruefully at the damage. "It seems like you were actually pretty accurate to Chat Noir's abilities."

""This has nothing to do with Chat." Marinette snorted, gently elbowing her friend in the side before she dolefully dumped the crumbs into the waste bin. "I'm just madly clumsy…"

Adrien gulped, feeling his ears burn as he slumped back down into his chair, furtively peering back at the girl behind him. His fingers brushed over the macaron - perhaps his Luckiest of Charms - that he still held in his palm.

He hadn't ever known Marinette to pun.

Then again, Adrien wondered, just how much had he missed with he had not been paying close attention?


	5. Chapter 5

Adrien's ears twitched - not as much as he did while transformed - but enough to strain to hear the muffled conversation behind him as he listened before their class began. Once he knew, he couldn't help but gravitate towards his Ladybug.

Stealing a glance over his shoulder, he noted that Marinette was still peering mournfully down at the half-empty box.

"Oh, Marinette." Alya consoled, giving voice to his own feelings. "I'm sorry. These must have taken you hours…"

Marinette hummed her agreement. "Well, the design part did. And baking the macarons, too. I've been getting better about baking them quickly. And Dad had a bit of time to spare time this morning to help. But don't worry, this was just my practice run, to give me an idea of how much time we might be investing."

"Just how long did it take for this plan of yours to fall into place…" Adrien could hear the smirk in Alya's taunting. "Ha, ha…" Marinette retorted, "but... I guess the plan did sort of fall to pieces, didn't it…."

Alya just snorted. "Yeah? Well, It wasn't just the macarons..."

"Hey! I didn't actually hit the ground you know."

"Oh," Alya crooned, with the same teasing tone from a moment before. "I do recall."

Adrien flushed slightly as he was sure Alya's eyes - though truthfully, he'd half hoped hers weren't the only ones - had locked onto his slouched form.

Marinette went suddenly silent. It killed Adrien that he couldn't turn around and get a good look.

Alya sighed, filling the heavy silence. "Honestly, girl. Sometimes, I'm amazed you aren't covered from head to toe in bumps and bruises. It's a good thing your parents are bakers. Tripping with baked goods is one thing, but I don't want to imagine you with anything sharp.

Marinette hesitated only momentarily before replying. "I've practically grown up in my parent's kitchen… and there is no end to the number of sewing needles I have at home, thank you very much."

Alya simply snorted. "Needles, maybe. But I doubt your parents were making much use of knives. Especially around you."

As Marinette huffed in protest, Adrien bit his tongue. It was a challenge to fight against the temptation to mention that Marinette was actually pretty sharp herself.

She had to be for her mind to keep coming up with those amazing solutions as Ladybug.

Not to mention she had created designs that had even pleased his Father - not an easy task, he knew - while she was very much herself.

He exhaled pointedly. It was just as well that he couldn't say a word. Marinette's clumsiness was something that couldn't be debated.

The soft rap of fingernails against the desk behind pulled his mind out of its quiet reverie. He realized he had been zoning out, as the girl in question continued what she'd been saying. "I'll just have to come up with a new plan… that's all."

"You don't really need a new plan." Alya re-assured. "These macarons - the ones that survived anyways - they're amazing, M! You just… might need a few more. To make sure that enough make it here to be shown off."

They all straightened in their seats as Madame Bustier marched in, stack of papers in hand to begin the day's class.

But Adrien was in a daze, anything but ready to start learning. The more he contemplated the girls' conversation, the more convinced he became; a more complete picture of Ladybug came together as he gathered the puzzle pieces in his mind. It wasn't until now that it struck him just how close his Ladybug had actually been.

It wasn't any one particular thing she'd said. It was the sum total for all of it. Marinette was seemingly a little more rambly and innocent, but in so many other ways she was just like Ladybug. At times, she was perhaps a little too careful, feeling a heavier burden on her shoulders than she needed to shoulder alone. She was also remarkably self-assured at some moments and more quietly unsure with someone she trusted… a fact he happily knew all too well.

Even though they technically never spoke much, working with his shy friend had always been as simple and easy as working with Ladybug. It made a strange sort of sense how easy it was to work alongside Marinette, considering how he'd grown to anticipate her thoughts and moves already as Ladybug.

Recalling the skill she had to redirect Alya's enthusiasm for potential Ladyblog articles reminded him an awful lot of the way that Ladybug would gently redirect his own efforts. He never even had the chance to notice it because Marinette didn't often talk to him in full and complete sentences.

He'd never really had cause to eavesdrop before... but the way she spoke with Alya - clearly one of her best and closest friends?

That was how Ladybug behaved with Chat Noir… he would recognize her specific brand of camaraderie anywhere.

It was great in some ways that she was a fan of his father and of his own modelling work, but right now he was hating just how much he had truly missed out on…

* * *

As they all walked towards the next class, he couldn't help but focus on the soft bounce of pigtails in front of him. Even her warm blue eyes weren't exactly far off of Ladybug's.

He couldn't fail to draw parallels now. Marinette was even about the right height -he had danced with her after all.

A twitchy sort of panic began to seep in as the weight of recognition settled over him. He paled, as he sank into his seat in the next class.

"Adrien, are you well?" Madame Mendeleiev's words finally broke through.

He grimaced. "Not really."

"Hmmm…" The teacher tilted her head at him speculatively. "Then perhaps you ought to see the nurse?"

* * *

Adrien flung water into his face, willing the stark redness marring his complexion to die down.

Ladybug - Marinette! - had kissed him. Twice!

His hands gripped the edge of the sink as he stared up into the mirror.

Ladybug had been adamant that a kiss was necessary to save him as Chat Noir when they'd been interviewed by Nadia, and maybe that was true.

But what on Earth would possess her to kiss him again while he was not hiding behind the mask? He'd only told her the facts. Marinette had done amazing things - entirely as a civilian - that would do Ladybug proud.

"I'm not wrong, am I, Plagg?" Adrien breathed. "It is her, right?"

Plagg sneered back at him in the mirror. "Finally figured it out, did you? And I only had to trip the poor thing."

Soft green eyes flew wide in his reflection, as he wheeled back to face his Kwami directly. "You tripped her?"

Plagg rolled his eyes. "She's clumsy enough that you hardly noticed as it was. You'd barely noticed it before she started continuously clocking you in the head. Let's not even talk about the clumsy way she confessed her feelings to you, just to get shot down."

Adrien's knuckles whitened as he gripped the sink more tightly, as he recalled just how poorly that had gone. He'd even managed to get Ladybug's father Akumatized.

He shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. He knew Ladybug wasn't in love with Chat. "Then she must have just told me that to distract me…"

Plagg chuckled ruefully. "She always has excelled at that. You know I couldn't tell you when you didn't know. But honestly, kid, despite all your issues with grasping subtlety, I thought you'd at least notice when she'd first knocked you in the head just like she used to do early on."

Adrien shook his head. "She's still hiding a big secret, bigger even than being Ladybug."

"Oh?" Plagg's eyes narrowed.

"Ladybug still had some boy she'd had a crush on, right?" Adrien flinched. "It has to be Luka. There's no one else she's shown interest in…"

"Kid…" Plagg groaned, knocking his head into the glass of the mirror. "Are you kidding me right now?"

Adrien paced. "Look. Marinette feigned interest in Chat Noir - to throw me off her scent as Ladybug. That makes sense now."

Plagg rolled his eyes. "We both know that she hates lying. Obviously, because she was kind of bad at it. Just like you are about obvious things..."

Adrien flinched, peeling open his white over shirt to silently indicate the conversation needed to end soon. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"You did finally piece together who she is on your own." Plagg patted Adrien's shoulder, soft reassurance as he lingered near Adrien's pocket. "So I guess you might finally figure out the obvious… eventually."

"You think I'm not watching now?" Adrien gaped, offended.

"You're watching alright." Plagg sneered, "But you're not noticing. Trust me when I say that my senses are much more reliable…"

Adrien's brows furrowed. "So you'll keep watching?"

"Until you figure it all out? Yes." Plagg assured. "But until then, I am definitely going to need way more Camembert than you've been giving me…"

* * *

The concern in her eyes when he'd slowly ambled back into the class, almost sent Adrien running back to the bathroom.

But he was a hero - he could handle this, right?

Still flushing warmly he dropped back into his seat.

He met the teacher's eyes and quietly nodded at her silent question, confirming he was alright.

And he probably would be. Eventually.

* * *

As they ambled out towards the last class of the morning, Adrien still lingered close - more from the habit of quietly following her natural lead than any other reason - trailing behind both girls at Nino's side. Belatedly, he realized that Chat had no problems taking direction from her, but as Adrien Agreste, he'd gotten far too used to taking orders in general.

"I was really hoping to have some for everyone to see and give feedback." Marinette lamented to Alya, shaking her head dolefully from her place in front of him. "I was planning on trying to sell these… at least here at school. Or, maybe to see if Mom and Dad might sell them for a little more at the bakery if people really like them. I think if the class could help a bit with the designs - or on actually placing them on the macarons - we might actually be able to make up the difference for most of us."

"What if Nino and I came over to help for a little while over lunch?" Alya's pace slowed significantly, as she posed the question to her friend.

Nino chimed in, almost as if on cue. "I've got the time to spare, for sure."

Marinette turned to fully face them. Adrien's grip on his school bag tightened as he watched the delighted gleam fill her gaze, as the wheels in Marinette's head cleanly spun into motion.

"I tried to make the designs are simple enough, so with a few extra hands to help decorate we should be able to bring at least a few in this afternoon to show off." She beamed brightly. "Especially if I can talk Dad into sneaking in a small batch in this morning…"

Nino elbowed him sharply, as Alya peered back pointedly at him. "What about you, dude? Have a little time to spare for a good cause?"

Adrien nodded, never more pleased as he watched the joy unfold on Marinette's face. "If I can… I just have to check with Nathalie."

Marinette bit her lip, nodding, not trusting herself to speak aloud. But her silent actions spoke volumes: delight danced in her blue eyes, as she excitedly bounced lightly on the balls of her feet.

Alya and Nino might have been simply amused by her antics, beaming at one another when their eyes met.

But Marinette's simple joy at hearing he might come along? That had only set his heart to racing... rushing madly after her, just as he did over so many of Paris's rooftops.

In that single moment, Adrien knew he would even sneak out of his room if he had to, just to be there with her.


End file.
